Showing posts with label dragons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dragons. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

April 2015 Young Adult Fantasy Releases

Hello, Travelers!

Today we are compiling a list of Young Adult Fantasy titles that are releasing this month. To make your search easier, we're picking out the books that look the most appealing to us. Please note that this short list does not (at all) encompass the many various YA fantasy books that will be released this month. These are the select few we've stumbled across. So, if you know of any others, please comment below with the title and the description!

April 11, 2015:

Dragonfriend by Marc Secchia - Stabbed. Burned by a dragon. Abandoned for the windrocs to pick over. The traitor Ra'aba tried to silence Hualiama forever. But he reckoned without the strength of a dragonet's paw, and the courage of a girl who refused to die.
           Only an extraordinary friendship will save Hualiama's beloved kingdom of Fra'anior and restore the King to the Onyx Throne. Flicker, the valiant dragonet. Hualiama, a foundling, adopted into the royal family. The power of a friendship which paid the ultimate price.
           This is the tale of Hualiama Dragonfriend, and a love which became legend.

April 21, 2015:

Becoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein - Wishing doesn't make it so, Azra does.
          Azra has just turned sixteen, and overnight her body lengthens, her olive skin deepens, and her eyes glisten gold thanks to the brand-new silver bangle that locks around her wrist. As she always knew it would, her Jinn ancestry brings not just magical powers but the reality of a life of servitude, as her wish granting is controlled by a remote ruling class of Jinn known as the Afrit. To the humans she lives among, she's just the girl working at the snack bar at the beach, navigating the fryer and her first crush. But behind closed doors, she's learning how to harness her powers and fulfill the obligations of her destiny. Mentored by her mother and her Zar "sisters," Azra discovers she may not be quite like the rest of her circle of female Jinn...and that her powers could endanger them all.

April 28, 2015:

The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey - For fans of Cassandra Clare's City of Bones or Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone, The Girl at Midnight is the story of a modern girl caught in an ancient war.
          Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she's ever known.
          Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she's fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it's time to act.
          Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the Firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. I will be no easy task, though if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it's how to hunt down what she wants...and how to take it.
          But some jobs aren't as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir - Laia is a slave.
                                                                 Elias is a soldier.
                                                                 Neither is free.
          Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.
          It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire's impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They've seen what happens to those who do.
          But when Laia's brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire's greatest military academy.
          There, Laia meets Elias, the school's finest soldier––and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he's being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined––and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley - [This] soaring YA debut is a fiercely intelligent, multilayered fantasy where Neil Gaiman's Stardust meets John Green's The Fault in Our Stars in a story about a girl caught between two worlds...two races...and two destines.
          Aza Ray Boyle is drowning in thin air. Since she was a baby, Aza has suffered from a mysterious lung disease that makes it ever harder for her to breathe, to speak––to live. So when Aza catches a glimpse of a ship in the sky, her family chalks it up to a cruel side effect of her medication. But Aza doesn't think this is a hallucination. She can hear someone on the ship calling her name.
          Only her best friend, Jason, listens. Jason, who's always been there. Jason, for whom she might have more-than-friendly feelings. But before Aza can consider that thrilling idea, something goes terribly wrong. Aza is lost to our world––and found, by another. Magonia.
          Above the clouds, in a land of trading ships, Aza is not the weak and dying thing she was. In Magonia, she can breathe for the first time. Better, she has immense power––but as she navigates her new life, she discovers that war between Magonia and Earth is coming. In Aza's hands lies fate of the whole of humanity––including the boy who loves her. Where do her loyalties lie?

If you know any YA Fantasy titles you're psyched about this April, share them with us!

Realms

*All descriptions were provided on Amazon.

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Author Interview: Elizabeth J. M. Walker on Dragons and Teenagers

She Dreamed of Dragons cover
Realms Young Adult Fantasy Literary Magazine: Will you give us a brief background about who you are and where you’re from?

Elizabeth J. M. Walker: I live in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. I currently work as a freelance journalist/photographer for an online community newspaper. I grew up being involved in dance and theatre, including writing scripts for dance theatre shows. Dancing often finds its way into my stories, including She Dreamed of Dragons. I’ve always loved books and writing.

Realms: For those who don’t know, can you give a brief synopsis of your debut novel, She Dreamed of Dragons?

Elizabeth: She Dreamed of Dragons follows a young dragon mage named Trina as she unwillingly attends a competition to find a new prince or princess for the fantasy world of Dorlith. The novel is a YA fantasy adventure, but is also suitable for Middle Grade readers.

Realms: What was it that inspired you to write She Dreamed of Dragons?

Elizabeth: When I was in high school, I remember watching the very first season of American Idol, when “reality TV” was first becoming popular. I thought it’d be fun to write a fantasy story about young people attending a competition to find a new prince/princess.

Realms: What appealed to you about writing from the point of view of a YA character?

Elizabeth: I write YA because the teenage years are such an interesting and life-changing part of life for everyone. Things like first romantic relationships, feeling like you’re growing up and changing into a new person, and making choices that will ultimately affect you for the rest of your adult life can all happen while you are a teen. It can be exciting, wonderful, frightening, and stressful––or a combination of all of the above and more. For a writer it creates a wealth of material for stories, whether they are contemporary fiction or fantasy.

Realms: What is it about Trina, the protagonist who is a dragon mage, that you think readers will find relatable?

Elizabeth: Even though Trina has magical powers, I still wanted her to be a very down-to-earth and “normal” character. I think some readers would be able to relate to her feeling awkward and unsure of herself, but her confidence grows throughout the story.

Realms: What would you like your readers to take away from the book?

Elizabeth: I would like readers to be able to enjoy a fun, fantastical story. However, on a deeper level, a lot of the book is about accepting others’ differences and accepting who you are.

Realms: Do you think adults have something to gain by reading YA stories?

Elizabeth: I have never stopped reading YA, even though I’m no longer a teenager. I think it’s an important part of life where many interesting stories can be told.

Realms: Currently, your book is only offered as an eBook and/or PDF. Are there any plans to have it available in paperback or will there be any sequels?

Elizabeth: I believe Musa Publishing is gradually adding all of their books to a Print-On-Demand option. A few of their books are currently available with this service, but She Dreamed of Dragons has not been added yet. Hopefully within the next year or so it will be available as a paperback.

I have ideas and outlines for sequels, but have some other manuscripts closer to being finished that I would like to work on before fully committing my time to a She Dreamed of Dragons sequel.

Realms: Since you are also a contributing author in our upcoming issue, we would like to know your opinion about us. Do you think it is important to broaden the YA Fantasy genre and open it up to short stories, poetry, and other writing forms?
Author Elizabeth J. M. Walker


Elizabeth: I think there are a lot of wonderful YA fantasy novels out there, but not too many places that focus on fantasy short fiction for the YA audience. I think it’s great that Realms is around to provide readers with some great fantasy short fiction and poetry.

Realms: Do you believe there is magic in the world? What kind?

Elizabeth: If you look in the right places….

Realms: What is it about YA Fantasy that draws you?

Elizabeth: Ever since my dad read The Hobbit to me when I was little, I loved reading about fantasy worlds. I enjoy reading to escape, and reading about a fantastical world is the best way to do so. There are all kinds of fun and magical ideas waiting to happen, but at the heart of good fantasy stories there are always great characters that bring everything together.

Realms: Which author(s) influence you the most?

Elizabeth: When I was a teen, the first YA fantasy stories I fell in love with were the Song of the Lioness Quartet and The Immortals Quartet by Tamora Pierce. I think she has influenced a lot of current authors who write about strong female heroines in fantasy settings. Some of my other favourite YA/MG fantasy authors that I find inspiring are Kristin Cashore, Maureen Johnson, Eoin Colfer, and J. K. Rowling.

Realms: What is your favorite YA fantasy story?

Elizabeth: I guess I would have to say Harry Potter. I think the first book came out when I first started high school, and the last book came out after I was done with high school for quite some time. Like a lot of people, I feel as though I grew up with the books, and Harry and his friends. I have a lot of fond memories of borrowing the books from friends at school, discussing the books while waiting for the bus, going to see the first couple movies together, watching the DVDs and bonding with new friends while living in university dorms, and the final book being delivered in a special box on a Saturday, even though we usually don’t get mail delivered on Saturdays.

Realms: If there was the kind of magic in this world that is in storybooks, what would you want to be or be able to do?

Elizabeth: I think it would be pretty amazing if we had fantastical healers who could heal every disease. And…I’ve always wanted to be able to teleport, so I wouldn’t have to spend time driving everywhere. I could also travel the world for free and be able to visit family more often.


She Dreamed of Dragons is a YA fantasy adventure that follows Trina, a struggling dragon mage, as she competes in a competition to find a new prince or princess for the fantastical Kingdom of Dorlith.

She Dreamed of Dragons can be purchased at:



Elizabeth J. M. Walker is also the writer of “The Sea Rider,” a short story that will be featured in the first issue of Realms. You can read an excerpt on our website.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

A Simple Breakdown of the Types of Young Adult Fantasy

Young Adult Fantasy is a broad genre like any other and has multiple subgenres. As a YA Fantasy magazine, we wanted to be able to break it down so that they’re all understood. We may have left out a couple, but we chose some of the most popular ones. Though Sci-Fi and Fantasy are often lumped together, we left out the subgenres of Sci-Fi in this list. If you feel we left out anything important, comment below and we’ll add it to our list of subgenres!
            Before we detail each subgenre, here’s a sneak peek at our list:

·      Dark Fantasy
·      Urban Fantasy
·      High/Epic Fantasy
·      Paranormal Romance
·      Historical Fantasy
·      Retold Fairy Tales
 
Dark Fantasy 

Dark fantasy is the type of story that mixes strange creatures with elements of horror. They’re both disturbing and alluring. You know that some of the characters should be feared, but you feel drawn to them anyway. An example of a dark fantasy story is The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black, which we reviewed in a previous post. In this story, which could also be classified as a dystopian novel, the U.S. has been plagued with a sudden outbreak of dangerous vampires. These aren’t the vampires we’re used to in paranormal romances, but monstrous beasts that are out to kill you.

Urban Fantasy
           
Urban fantasy is a favorite. The goal of fantasy is to make it believable, and what’s more believable than placing unnatural creatures in a setting you already know? Don’t be fooled by the title of “urban.” Urban fantasy can happen just about anywhere in our world, in any recognizable setting, be it city or countryside. The trick, then, to make urban fantasy stories relatable is to weave in supernatural characters and creatures in a way that makes sense. Take Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr for example. The main character goes to Catholic school and lives with her grandmother, but she can see faeries that no other people, except her grandmother, can see. It works because most people can’t see the faeries, and they use that to their advantage to also disguise buildings that they use for themselves in their respective territories.

High/Epic Fantasy

High fantasy, also known as epic fantasy, is a term most people know because the famous The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien. That’s right, high fantasy is the classic other world, and usually medieval-like, setting that is inhabited by men, elves, dwarves, wizards, dragons, and a plethora of other creatures. This subgenre is represented in YA with books like Eragon by Christopher Paolini. Eragon has been out for a long time now, but it’s a perfect example of high fantasy since the main character rides a dragon, teams up with various creatures, and realizes he must save the land from a cruel dictator.

Paranormal Romance
Regarde! Mon amour…. Who doesn’t love a good paranormal romance? It has all the electric feelings of falling in love, but with the dangerous, forbidden edge of being with someone who’s not quite human. And let’s face it, the love interest is usually drop-dead-gorgeous. Realistic? No, but it sells because we want to read about hot, steamy romances! If we wanted realistic love, we’d go to contemporary fiction section of the store. An interesting example of a paranormal romance flipped on its head is Claudia Gray’s Evernight. In this story, the main character attends a private academy and appears to be falling in love with a vampire, but everything turns upside down. We won’t spoil it!


Historical Fantasy 

Historical fantasy is a lot like urban fantasy, but it takes place in the past! A lot of research goes into these stories, which is why they tend to be so good. First the author has to research several aspects about the time period, from social norms to the way people dressed, and it all depends on the region of the world. Then the fantasy bit comes in, and for those who are truly talented, they slip their fantasy characters in there as if they belonged in history all along. Cassandra Clare mastered this subgenre with ClockworkAngel. The main character travels to London to meet her brother, but is captured by two warlocks who torture her into using her hidden powers she never knew about. Then the Shadowhunters, a group of people dedicated to hunting demons, bust her out. The fantasy story and historical setting blend so well that you can’t imagine a London without them!

Retold Fairy Tales

Lastly, we want to talk about fairy tale retellings! There’s a reason fairy tales are told and retold again and again: everyone loves them. The formula is already there, guaranteeing a loveable story, but what’s amazing about retold fairy tales is how they are told. Some of them are spun in such a different light that you might not have guessed it was based off of a fairy tale, like Rosamund Hodge’s Cruel Beauty, a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Others are more obvious by their title, like Cinder by Marissa Meyer, but she completely makes the story her own by turning Cinderella into a cyborg and a mechanic in a futuristic world.

So tell us, what's your favorite subgenre of YA Fantasy? It's hard to pick just one!


Realms

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Why Do You Love YA?

As many of you know from our previous article early on this week, we decided to ask people why they love YA fantasy in response to an unnamed speaker who essentially said fantasy is for bums. Yesterday, we were tabling in Champlain College's student center, and many students asked about the magazine and took some of the wonderful bookmarks that were made for us. We asked those who weren't in a hurry to get to class, why the love YA fantasy, and here is what they said:

"YA has first loves, not love affairs!"

"Because YA is cool."

"It has all the teen angst, but with magic, instead of trips to Hot Topic."

"'Cause adult life is all about taxes and mortgages and mean bosses. YA has DRAGONS!"

"Because the adventures have the possibilities of being interesting, and adult fiction is boring."

All of these students bring up some valid points, and we'd like to throw in our two cents, "We love YA fantasy because it sparks imagination and leads people to do brilliant and crazy things. YA fantasy gives us the hope that if there's greatness and beauty in this fictitious world, then there must be some in ours, too."

As we've heard before, but not quite in these words, YA fantasy isn't just about dragons, it's about being able to tame or slay the dragon. If your favorite character can tame the dragon, you can succeed in the projects you work on.

Realms

Image from: http://bit.ly/15FmM7G